Sunshine
by Random Otaku Boy
Summary: Who the heck is this girl? What's with the name? What is her secret? And just because she had a booboo on her head gives he no right to barge in on the ship..... *Completed*
1. Go!

Chapter 1  
  
After a ridiculously simple bounty on Mercury, Spike was lazily climbing into his ship, when he heard the sound of running feet. Slowly turning his head he saw a woman who looked in about her mid twenties with brown hair and housewife-y dress and apron being chased by two men in dark suits.   
  
"Well, that's a new one" he thought amusedly  
  
He continued watching them as they ran up the street towards him for a second and then turned back around to get back in his ship. He was just about to close the top when he saw the woman that was being chased scramble in behind him and whisper:  
  
"I beg of you, go!"   
  
It was then that he saw the blood dripping from her forehead and realized the urgency of her imploration, and sped off as he heard her body slump to the floor with a thud in unconsciousness....  
  
  
Disclaimer- I don't own cowboy bebop.....yadda yadda yadda.  
A/N: This is my first pathetic attempt at a fanfic, please review! :)  
P.S. Sorry this chapter is so short, I'll make the other ones longer. 


	2. Bonsai!

Slowly and painfully waking up, she was greeted with a large pair of eyes. Blinking a few times, she sat up and gathered her surroundings. Hmmm, she thought, a bit messy, but someone is obviously making an effort to keep this place from becoming an utter disaster. She was in the living area of the Bebop, with an oversized bandage on her head where her wound was. She leisurely dropped her head to look at the lanky orange haired creature that was still sitting on the floor staring at her. "Hi!" It said, and from the high voice she could guess that it was a girl.   
  
"Hello. What's your name?"  
  
"Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky 4thrd"  
  
Laughing she replied, "Wow, that's a big name for a small.... girl, do you have a nickname?"  
  
"Ed!" Edward sang. "What is your namey-wamey doodle-dee-doo?"  
  
"My name is Gabriella Elisabete Gerardini"  
  
Ed merely stared at her.  
  
"...You can call me Gabby."  
  
Ed danced in circles chanting "Gabby-wabby poodle pie" over and over.  
  
"Well, Ed, can you answer a big question for me?"  
  
Ed, immediately ceased her chanting and faced Gabby with eager eyes.  
  
"Can you tell me where I am?"  
  
Ed broke into a huge smile and said "You're on the cowboy ship, Bebop! I'll be your tour guide, cowgirl Ed!"  
  
She grabbed Gabby's hand and pulling her up from her seated position on the couch, she ran off towards the kitchen area, dragging Gabby with her bandage falling off with her.  
  
The kitchen was cozy, but as Gabby looked around there seemed to be very little food. But as with the kitchen, someone had made a decent effort to keep the place from becoming infested with roaches.  
  
After standing in the kitchen for a few minutes, while Ed turned cartwheels around the rooms, she suddenly jumped up and dragged her off towards the hall with the living quarters and bathroom.  
  
Prancing down the hall, Ed exclaimed the names of the rooms in rapture, "Bedroom! Bedroom! Bedroom! Bedroom! Bedroom! Bedroom! Bedroom! Be......bathroom!"  
  
Finally, after passing all the unused bedrooms (and the bathroom) Ed skidded to a halt in front of a room whose door was open and peeking inside, Gabby could see a figure sprawled across the bed.  
  
"This is Faye-Faye's room!"  
  
At the sound of Edward's screaming the lump on the bed sprang up and glared threateningly at Ed.   
  
"Don't call me that!"   
  
It was now very most obviously a woman and as it looked, a woman with purple hair, a revealing yellow tight outfit (which partially led to the revelation of the lump being a woman). The woman seemed as though she was recovering from a severe hangover.  
  
"Faye-Faye! When did you get here!" Ed seemed happy that she had woken "Faye-Faye" up from her much needed slumber.  
  
"I got home at four, why are you aski.......hey who's this?" Faye-Faye suddenly noticed Gabby and eyed her suspiciously. "I said I'd pay back Joey on Tuesday!"  
  
She then got a closer look at Gabby and flopped back down on the bed, disinterested in her presence.  
  
"Oh, you must be the chick who Spike rescued, Jet told me earlier." What Faye didn't mention was that Jet had told her right after she dropped like a rock onto Gabby's unconscious form.  
  
Gabby had giggled at the being called a "chick" but quickly recovered. "I'm-"  
  
"This is Gabby-wabby poodle dee shoo!"   
  
Gabby smiled at the small girl who grinned up at her, then turned back to Faye. "You can call me Gabby, um, I'm assuming that Spike is the guy whose ship I jumped into.........errrr, but who's Jet?"  
  
"Huh, nice to meet you" Faye rolled over and covered her head with blankets and pillows and Gabby was convinced she had passed out before she heard a muffled sleepy voice drift out from Faye's pile of blankets.  
  
"Down the hall, three doors to your left, he's probably pruning his 'children', and tell him to fix the shower.................."  
  
Gabby, looked around for Ed, but discovered she was gone, so she crept out of the room, closing the door as she left.   
  
Spike, she thought, leaning against Faye's door, so that's his name. Faye, she giggled again in spite of herself. What a character! And, she thought she blushed as she glanced down at her own body, covered up from view with layers of undergarments, a dress and an apron. Blushing even harder, she thought, I'll take a wild guess as to what she was doing until four in the morning. Hold a sec........what did Faye mean by Jet pruning his children?? She wondered about this until she reached the rooms Faye told her to go to, and took a look inside.  
  
She saw a man with balding black hair hunched over a bonsai tree, clipping branches, and murmuring words to it-  
  
"And then, I snuck up behind the guy and, BAM, whacked him over the he..........well of course! Don't be silly! Then I brought him to the police station. The End. How did you like that? Oh. Yeah. Well, when I with the money, I bought some groceries and made vichyssoise, it's a soup-  
  
"Oh! You know how to make vichyssoise!?" Gabby couldn't help herself. In all her twenty-seven years, she has never been able to cook vichyssoise perfectly. She always, ALWAYS messed something up, and was eager to talk to someone who presumably had mastered the art of vichyssoise.  
  
Startled, Jet turned around, too surprised to be embarrassed or angry. "So, you're finally up! Uhhh, and yes, I do make a pretty mean vichyssoise, if I do say so myself." He chuckled. Then suddenly remembering his manners in Gabby's presence, he hastened to introduce himself.  
  
"I am so sorry, for forgetting my man-"  
  
"Think nothing of it," Gabby interrupted smiling warmly at Jet as she immediately decided that she liked him.  
  
"I know you are Jet, Faye told me," she said jerking her thumb in the direction of the hallway, "She also said to tell you to 'fix the shower'. But, anyway, I'm Gabby; it's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
Jet had frowned slightly at the mention of Faye and the broken shower, but speedily returned Gabby's smile as he replied, "The pleasure's all mine, really! You're the nicest thing that's ever climbed into Spike's ship."  
  
Hmmm, Spike again, Gabby thought.  
  
"Wow! Look at all the bonsai trees! They're beautiful! Did you raise them?" So this is what Faye meant by Jet's children.  
  
Jet swelled with satisfaction. "Yep! These are my pride and joy!.....Do you know anything about bonsai trees?"  
  
"Do I!" Gabby exclaimed ecstatically,"In college, my whole dorm was filled with bonsai trees! I raised them all! It was the only thing that took my mind off....umm, and I talked to them all the time! They really were some of my best friends. They weren't nearly as nice as yours though."  
  
"Well, thank you! I hope nothing has happened to them since you have been gone, you know they are such elegant works of art."  
  
"Oh, no, as much as I loved them, everyone who saw loved them and wanted them, and I couldn't say no, so eventually I gave them all away, but believe me I cried every time one left my dorm....But yours are so beautiful! Can I.......touch one?"  
  
Jet laughed at Gabby's awe. "Go ahead, you have the 'touch'."  
  
Gabby kneeled on the floor by the table full of bonsai before delicately touched a tree with her fingertip before turning to Jet in confusion.  
  
"The 'touch'?"  
  
Jet continued, "Yes, that's what I call people like me and you who are in tune with nature.....such as bonsai trees, you see-"  
  
Jet was cut off by a loud scoff from the doorway as he saw Spike standing there.  
  
"Well, isn't this just an after-school special." Spike teased grimly.  
  
Gabby looked up at Spike in wonder as he strode into the room.  
  
  
A/N: Sorry for cutting it off so suddenly. Again, please review! 


	3. Toad in a Hole

Spike sneered at Jet, careful not to look at Gabby.  
  
"The 'touch' huh? Jet I think you've been reading too many romance novels."  
  
Jet merely grinned at Spike, knowing not to take his criticism seriously.  
  
"Yep, this fine young lady has it. Why? Are you jealous?"  
  
Spike grunted. "You wish."  
  
"Spike, this is your damsel in distress/stowaway, Gabby." Jet smiled comfortingly at Gabby, who was still scrutinizing Spike from her kneeled stature on the floor.  
  
"Oh, it is very nice to meet you, Spike! I am very grateful for taking me h-"  
  
"Likewise, I'm sure. And don't mention it." Spike looked down the hall, seemingly bored. "And when's dinner? I'm starved."  
  
"Erm, Spike, we don't have hardly any food, unless you count some old pork sausages, and an egg, but I don't think that will be, uh cough-nice-cough enough for all of us."  
  
Gabby jumped up. "Oh please let me make something! It is the least that I can do! And I'm sure that I can cook up something."  
  
"Oh, but I usually do the cooking, and you're a guest...." Jet protested, but along with Spike, merely stared and followed after her as she waved away his remark and walked down the hall to the living area and into the kitchen.  
  
Gabby strolled around the kitchen muttering to herself as she took out ingredients, pans and utensils. "Toad in a hole...milk didn't say that.......flour salt......now how do you work this oven? Oh.......  
  
Spike and Jet watched her for nearly a half an hour not exactly knowing what to say.  
  
"So, Gabby," Jet cleared his throat, "where exactly did you learn how to do this?"  
  
Gabby looked up for a moment, "I was at culinary school, and I was trying to get a degree there so I could be a home economics teacher." She looked at Spike; afraid he thought she was a dork.  
  
Spike, expressionless, said, "That's a very useful thing for a woman to study. On the other hand, Jet here learned all his tricks from his mother."  
  
Gabby shoved the pan into the oven, and wiping her hands off on her apron, she looked at a slightly embarrassed Jet.  
  
"Really? Me too, but all I ever cooked there was practical things, like cookies and pot loaf, and I really wanted to know more, so I thought to myself, 'I can got to any school I want, so why not culinary?'" She grinned at Spike and Jet. "The 'Toad in a Hole' should be ready in a half an hour."  
  
Spike looked confused. "Toad in a Hole? What the hell is that?"  
  
Gabby giggled. "It's a traditional Old Earth style British dish. Don't worry there were no toads harmed in the making of your dinner."  
  
"Soooo," Gabby continued, "where are your dishes and glasses? Some forks and knives would be handy also."  
  
Jet pointed. "That cupboard, and the second drawer to your right. I'll go get Faye and Ed." He walked off leaving Gabby and Spike alone in the kitchen.  
  
As soon as Gabby got her needed tableware, the two people in the kitchen looked each other over for a couple of minutes before until Gabby, not being able to stand the awkward silence in the room, started a conversation with everyone's favorite subject: them self.  
  
"So, Spike, how did you meet Jet, Ed and Faye? I'm assuming Faye isn't your wife or girlfriend or any thing because if she is you have a big problem on your hands-"  
  
Gabby was cut off by Spike's hearty laughter.  
  
"Ha, ha, ha! No, really, NO! She is not anything like tha...ha ha ha! Nothing but business between me and her, if even that!"  
  
Gabby smiled. "I guess that answers my next question. I was going to ask if Ed was your child, but I guess not."  
  
Spike stopped laughing and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Heh, nope. That little monster wormed on her way onto our ship by threatening to hack into our computer system if we didn't. But actually..." Spike paused deciding whether or not to reveal his true feelings. Taking a look at Gabby's open expression, he decided to go for it. "..she's proved quite useful. I mean she IS a master hacker. 'Radical Edward' is what people call her. Faye, well, I won't go there. As for Jet and me, we're good buddies and I teamed up with him after the whole syndicate mess and Ju-"  
  
Spike suddenly stopped, remembering the moment Julia had dropped dead on the rooftop.  
  
Gabby, sensing his pain, changed the subject.  
  
"What exactly do you guys do? Are you like merchants or......ummmm........something?"  
  
Spike looked right at Gabby. "Bounty hunters." He replied solemnly.  
  
Gabby's heart twitched in fear at Spike's words. "O-oh, really? That is very interesting."  
  
"Yeah..." Spike drifted off, thinking of Julia again. His angel Julia. Julia who never did anything wrong to anyone except for getting mixed up with him. She would always be perfect to him. His perfect beautiful wonderful loving-  
  
"...talk about it?"  
  
"Wha?" Spike snapped out of his chain of thought.   
  
"I asked you if you wanted to talk about it."   
  
"Talk about what?" Spike replied, ready to build up his wall of defense from anything involving emotions, at the same time he vaguely wondered if this girl could read minds.  
  
"You obviously have some major issues with the syndicate you were in and his 'Ju' person. It's really not healthy to keep these things bottled up inside you know." She looked down as she twisted the ring on her finger. "I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about."  
  
Spike suddenly became suspicious. "Why do you want to know? Who sent you?"  
  
Gabby's eyes went wide and hurtful at the accusation. "No one sent me! I just thought you might want some one to talk to! "  
  
Spike sighed. Gabby, sensing that the wall was crashing down, looked at him encouragingly. "Go on."  
  
"Wellll", Spike paused for a second, but something in the back of his mind told him to open up to her. "I had always been friends with Vicious, and we were high in the syndicate together, but one day he gets this new chick, Julia, and man.........".  
  
  
A/N: Thanks to the three people who reviewed! That is all (Please more reviews! I love reading them!) 


	4. That Kinda Face

"......and when I woke up I was back in the Bebop."  
  
After Spike had poured his heart out to Gabby, she just sat there taking it all in. She hadn't said a word through his whole story, just nodding her head and making noises of sympathy or exclamation. He looked at her face wondering why he had just said all of this and what she thought.  
  
"Wow. You've really had a though time. I am very sorry about Julia." She said softly."You really are strong. If it were I I would have turned into a psycho."  
  
Spike grunted before she went on.  
  
"You must be really hurting. On the inside I mean. Am I the first person you've told?"  
  
".....Yeah. Spike and Faye know only the pieces they guessed at. Umm, you're not going to tell them are you?"  
  
Gabby gave a little smile. "I told you I wouldn't. Do I look like the sort of person who would lie?"  
  
Suddenly a little Welsh corgi ran into the room and sat down next to Spike and looked up at Gabby.  
  
"Oooh, who's this?" She squealed as she bent down and started to rub the little dog's ears and stomach.  
  
"That's Ein."  
  
"How cute!" Gabby was about to ask Spike about Ein when the timer rang.  
  
"Oh dinner's ready! Could you please put these on the table? And fill the glasses with water. Thanks."  
  
Spike sauntered out to the table as Jet, Faye and Ed sat down.   
  
"So. Did you talk to her?" Jet began, everyone at the table knowing who 'she' was.   
  
"Yeah..? Why do you want to know?"  
  
Faye butted in. "Who the hell is she? And WHY is she making us dinner? I thought we didn't have any food."  
  
"We didn't," Jet replied. "I have no idea how she is making a full dinner out of the month old crap we had in there. Her name is Gabby-"  
  
Faye snorted. Trying as hard as she could not to give away the jealousy she was holding on the inside. I'M the only woman on this ship! She thought. Ed doesn't count. This girl better be leaving soon. She doesn't know who she's messing with.  
  
"Yes, Faye?"  
  
"That's the stupidest name I ever heard of."  
  
Jet gave Faye a look of death while Spike calmly replied,"Better than Faye Valentine..?"  
  
Faye's face turned red as she glared at Spike and was about to come back with something nasty when Gabby cheerfully came in with the pan.   
  
She set it down on the table as Ed screeched something about 'yummy-wummy foodie-doo' and started to serve the dish, which was sausages in some kind of batter. It smelled really, really good. Faye however didn't think so. As soon as Gabby sat down and urged everyone to eat, Faye decided to announce her displeasure.  
  
"What the hell is this?" She demanded.  
  
"It's called Toad in a Hole. It's very good try i-"  
  
"Toad in a what? There is no way in hell I am eating this."  
  
Gabby looked hurt as Jet growled, "You'll eat this or I'll-"  
  
"No, Jet, it's okay."  
  
Jet looked at her, surprised. "What do you mean?"  
  
"She doesn't have to eat it. I'll just put it in the oven."  
  
"But-!"  
  
"No buts. Now keep eating."  
  
They all finished their dinner, Faye getting dirty looks left and right from everyone but Gabby. Afterwards, after Gabby insisted that she do do the dishes, everyone watched big shot. As Gabby was drying the dishes, she saw a purple haired head peek inside the doorway. Gabby smiled as she put down her dish and walked to the doorway and stood in front of Faye, who was pressed against the wall, holding her breath.  
  
"You know Faye, if you're hungry, I left the Toad i........dinner in the oven. Do you want some?"  
  
Faye looked away and tried to look cool as she replied.  
  
"No."  
  
"You sure? It was really good, and I swear there are no toads in it. Though everyone seems to think so....."  
  
"Wellll, wait, no. I'm not really hungry." Faye's stomach rumbled and gave her away.  
  
Gabby merely laughed and pushed the plate she had already taken out at Faye. "Eat."  
  
Faye paused, then dug into the meal ravenously. She looked up at Gabby carefully, making sure she wasn't laughing at her. Gabby's had her back turned and was back to the dishes, but Faye could tell she was smiling.  
  
After a few bites, Faye had decided the amphibian dish wasn't so bad and looked up at Gabby again, who, to her surprise, was watching her happily.  
  
"So. Who the hell are you?" Faye blurted out, emphasizing 'are'.  
  
"I'm Gabby, and you're Faye. I thought we had already made introductions!" Gabby giggled. "And you sure do saw 'hell' a lot."  
  
Faye sneered. "Ha ha ha" she said sarcastically. "Yeah, I know your name, but why are you here?"  
  
"Well, I was being chased, and I saw Spike's ship, so I jumped in because I had a wound on my head and fainted, and when I woke up I was here."  
  
"That still doesn't tell me anything."  
  
"Well, that's about all I can tell you, because that's the story I know."  
  
"Why were you being chased?"  
  
" .....I don't know....." Gabby dug her nails into her palm as punishment to herself for lying. "Well, Faye what about you? Why are you here? What's your story?"  
  
Faye was slightly taken aback by Gabby's sudden line of questions, and tried to give as vague answers as possible.  
  
"I'm a bounty hunter just like Spike and Jet so I joined 'em. It's good work. As for my story, why do you give a damn?"  
  
Oh, great, thought Gabby, not this again. Spike and her are perfect for each other. She shook her head. No, she thought, Faye's going to be a harder egg to crack.  
  
Gabby had always been interested in other people's past, more so than her own, and most people seemed to want to open up to her. She "just had that kinda face", as her uncles would say. At hat moment, Gabby decided she would get to the bottom of each person on the Bebop. Faye, she thought, I'm working on right now, Jet, what a nice guy, he'll be easy, but Ed. If I can get an understandable sentence out of her I'll be satisfied.  
  
Faye sighed. She was doing her own thinking too. What can I tell her? She thought. I don't even know my own damn story. She stole a look at Gabby's still smiling face. But...what if she really does want to know? Hmmm, can't hurt-NO! No way am I telling her anything! She's my enemy. And....oh hell. Why even bother? Everyone already likes her more than me so what do I have to lose?  
  
Faye sighed again as she reluctantly began.  
  
"Well, a long time ago, a REAL long time ago, I was a young girl on Earth, except it wasn't like it is now, and I was in a gate accident...................."  
  
  
A/N: Heh, sorry about the corniness and repetitive themes, I'll do better next chapter! Again, PLEASE R/R!!! Thanks a lot. 


	5. NightyNight

When Faye finished her story, she looked at Gabby, daring her to make a comment. Gabby on the other hand was thinking about Faye's speech.   
  
"Hm." She finally said. "That's all you remember?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Do you think you'll ever remember anything else?"  
  
"With my luck, no. Anyway-"  
  
Jet suddenly walked into the room, stretching.   
  
"Jeez, it's eight o'clock already. Shouldn't you be getting back home soon Gabby? I can take you home if you tell me where you live."  
  
Jet looked at her and patiently waited for an answer.  
  
Gabby squirmed, unsure how to respond when she finally blurted out what had been on her mind for a while.  
  
"Can I stay with you guys?"  
  
Faye and Jet, taken aback by her question had an expression of pure shock on their faces.  
  
"Please?" She continued, "I-I can cook, and clean, and God knows this ship needs to be cleaned, and, and uh buy groceries, I have a little bit of money, and....."  
  
Faye's ears pricked up at the mention of groceries, but Jet held her back as she tried to state her approval of Gabby's proposal.   
  
"Well...we're going to have to think this over. I'm all for it, but we just met you! And I'm sure someone is waiting for you at home somewhere. And we're going to have to talk to Spike about this."  
  
Gabby looked disappointed, but obediently stayed put in the kitchen while Jet and Faye walked out into the living area to present the matter to Spike.  
  
Jet sat down on the couch next to Spike, while Faye stood nearby, depending on Jet to do all the talking. She was all for it. She didn't know why. She was never this trusting. It must have been the dinner, she thought. If Gabby stayed, they would always have stuff like this. And food. Faye's mouth watered at the thought of food in the house. And....she reluctantly continued on with her reasons. She isn't so bad. A little too cheerful, maybe, but it would be.......nice to have a little bit of female companionship. She snapped out of the daze as Jet started to speak.  
  
"She wants to stay."  
  
"I figured she would."  
  
"......You know, it wouldn't be such a bad idea. She offered to cook and clean and buy groceries."  
  
"But you usually do all that stuff."  
  
"True, but look around."  
  
Spike smiled. "You've got a point there. But, we don't know anything about this girl. She could be an ax murderer for all we know."  
  
"Catching ax murderers is what we do, Spike. She seems harmless, really."  
  
"Humph. I know. Weellll, I don't see any harm, but..."  
  
"But what?"  
  
"She has no nightclothes."  
  
Jet grinned. "I know exactly what you're thinking, and I don't think she's that kinda girl, I'll give her a shirt or something. I KNOW Faye doesn't have anything she can lend her....."  
  
"I heard that."  
  
They turned their heads to the sound of Gabby's voice coming out from the kitchen.  
  
"Can I come out now?"  
  
"Sure, and you can stay too." Spike replied nonchalantly.  
  
Gabby's face lit up in a smile, but on the inside she breathed out a breath of relief.  
  
Jet smiled at her as he motioned for her to follow him.  
  
"Come on. I'll show you to your room and give you something to sleep in. We can go shopping tomorrow, but there isn't a lot of money hanging around right now...."  
  
Gabby happily followed him as she reassuredly said,"I have my own money, I already told you. We can pick up some food tomorrow too."  
  
Jet handed her a shirt of his and led her down the hall to an unused room, and opened the door.  
  
"You should probably get some sheets or something too, I'm real sorry about the state the room is in, but no ones lived in them for a long time, see the Bebop was a fishing ship before I got it and-"  
  
"Jet, um, can I get dressed? Were you planning on watching or something?"  
  
Jet blushed as he hastily backed out of the room.  
  
"I'll be in the living area if you need me..." He mumbled.  
  
Gabby sighed as the door shut and hung her apron on the bed as she stepped out of her dress and buttoned up the shirt that Jet had given her. It was WAY too big, which was actually good because it showed no more than three inches of her thigh. She glanced around the room making mental notes on what to get the next day.  
  
Hmmm, she thought, needs a nice lamp, sheets, as Jet said, another pillow, a rug........  
  
She suddenly yawned, realizing how tired she was and out of habit went to go say goodnight to her companions in the living area.  
  
They were watching the television and Ed had reappeared and was searching on her computer for a good bounty.  
  
"Goodnight everyone."  
  
They all looked up, except Ed who merely cried, "Nighty-whitey Gabby-doo!"  
  
Spike looked at a clock. "It's only nine thirty."  
  
"Yeah, I know."  
  
He shrugged, said good night and gave her a thorough look-over, grinning at her attire when Jet hit him on the shoulder.  
  
"Quit it Spike," he growled ominously, but turned quickly to smile at Gabby,"Goodnight, Gabby"  
  
Gabby smiled back at Jet when Faye spoke.  
  
"Night."  
  
"Well, see you all in the morning!"  
  
Gabby strolled back to her room, and when Faye was sure she was out of earshot, started to tease Jet.  
  
"Niiight, Gabby!" She jeered in a singsong voice.  
  
Spike jerked his head to look at Jet.  
  
"You like her!" Faye cried.  
  
"What? No! She's was too.....too......well, she's not my type!"  
  
"You telling the truth?"  
  
"Yes! I could never, uh, feel like that for someone who cooked better than me."  
  
Faye snorted. "Suuurrrrre."  
  
Spike was still looking at Jet. Thinking, Jet can't love her, he just met her. Then again, he was in love with Julia the moment he saw her. But that was different. Waaay different. Plus, I like Gabby-wait...NO WAY! I do not not not not not like, love or 'feel' for her in any way. He smacked him self in the head without thinking.  
  
"You okay Spike?" Jet asked, a little concerned in him hitting his own head.  
  
"Yeah, um I'm fine, just a big day, you know?" He faked a huge yawn. "I think I'll hit the sack too."  
  
Faye raised her eyebrow as she watched Spike walk off down the hallway.  
  
"In your own bed Spike!" Jet called after him as Spike waved hs wand dismissively.  
  
"Sometimes I worry about him..." Jet mused, as he turned to Ed who had fallen asleep and was snoring loudly in front of her computer.   
  
"He's probably still recovering from the whole, you know, 'thing'. Leave him alone."   
  
"Hmmm..."  
  
  
A/N: OMG, sorry sorry sorry for the last lame-o chapter. I was reading it over and I realized what writress said was right. So my apologies. Thanks to they few people who reviewed, I really really appreciate it. I hope this chapter is better! As for everyone else who read this:R&R!!!! {Please! (-:} 


	6. Confessions to a Plant

The next day, by the time everyone on the Bebop had woken up, Gabby had been awake for an hour and somehow had made enough scrambled eggs for them all out of the two remaining eggs and a half a cup of milk. No one really cared how she did it, they were mostly astounded because it was the first time any of them had had a real breakfast besides coffee and cigarettes (excepting Ed) for a long long time.   
  
After that the day passed uneventfully, the most exciting part being when Spike was impressed because it had only taken Gabby and Faye fifteen minutes to buy Gabby a whole new wardrobe, along with a new apron and sheets for her bed. (Wow, now that's my kinda woman, Spike had thought, while hurriedly hitting himself in the head again, causing Jet to be concerned about him again.)   
  
Food shopping was a simple ordeal also. Everyone just basically threw anything they wanted in (Faye and Spike cigarettes, Jet cigarettes and Betty Crocker (("Just in case")) and Ed a leash for Ein) while Gabby went down each and every isle pretty much getting one of everything. "Always better to buy in bulk!" Was her motto when it came to groceries. The bill had come to hefty amount, but Gabby, to everyone's amazement, before getting into line, pulled out her hand-held accounting device and withdrew five thousand onto a card that popped out. Spike leaning over her shoulder, noticed the total amount, though. "Fifty million Wulongs?!?" He cried. "I didn't know there was so much money in home economics!"   
  
"Oh, yeah, that." She replied. "Well, um, see, uh a long, long, time ago, a, err, uncle! Yeah, uncle, died and left me all his money, and uh, I still, um, have a lot of....it."  
  
Spike only looked at her disbelievingly, but let it go as she hastily walked up to the cash register. Spike looked back at the others, but Faye and Ed hadn't been paying attention and Jet merely shrugged his shoulders.  
  
Oh, good one Gabby. She thought as she smiled at the cashier and handed him her debit card. She rarely lied and as a result she was terrible at it.  
  
Later when everyone was at home, and all had been put away. Gabby, bored because it was too early to make dinner so had nothing to do decided to see what Ed was doing. Still being new to the ship, she felt like she was still being judged, even though every one was so very nice to her, Ed was the only person she felt she could totally be herself with. This was due to the warm reception she had gotten from Ed when she had awoken. Stopping in her steps in the hallway to think for a minute, she thought to herself, well, I guess Jet isn't too far behind, if I'm making this a contest. Jet was the only of the adults who hadn't pretended she wasn't there during introductions. She smiled. Faye is next. She sure wasn't very nice to me when I first met her, but I know she's a sweet person on the inside. Suddenly she frowned, thinking of Spike. Hmmm, I don't even know what to make of him. Even though he 'opened up' to her, she always felt like he was thinking something he didn't want to tell her. Oh well. She shrugged and continued down the hall.  
  
When she reached the living area, she heard Faye and Spike talking, and Ed rapidly typing away on her keyboard, so she peeked around the corner cautiously so as not to intrude in on something she didn't want to apart of.  
  
"So, how much is this guy worth?" (Oh that's Faye, Gabby thought.)  
  
"Ten million wulong. He's a head of some kind of old Italian family crime syndicate."  
  
Gabby's heart froze, but she managed to tear herself away and walk as calmly as she could back to her room. She shook her head slightly, as if to shake out any thoughts she had regarding the conversation she had wrongly eavesdropped in on.  
  
She was distracted from keeping unwanted thoughts out of her head, as she stopped in front of Jet's bonsai room. Noticing he was talking to them again, she kept out of sight as she had done in the living area.  
  
".....she's a good cooker.....Yeah I know...but, do you really think?...Nah"  
  
Is he talking about me? Gabby wondered.  
  
Suddenly Jet turned around. Startled, Gabby almost jumped.  
  
"Hello Gabby!" Jet spoke cheerfully, as though he had not just possibly been professing his love for her to a plant.  
  
"Erm, hello."  
  
"Care to join me?"  
  
  
A/N: Oops again, sorry (again) to end it so suddenly! And I know it's really short, but it'll be longer next time-I promise!! And THANK YOU!!! All eight of you wonderful people who reviewed!! I love you all! And I know I already emailed you about this, but, Atomic One, what do you mean by a good sentence from Ed?? Anyways, thanks a lot!! All of your reviews have really helped me (except GabbyGirl, but yours is very encouraging!) Thank you all!!!! 


	7. Cookies

"Umm, sure." Gabby slowly stepped into the room, never taking her eyes off Jet and   
thinking about what he had just said.   
  
Jet, on the other hand acted exactly the same as he did when he had noticed her: as   
if nothing had happened. "Here," He said smiling and handing her a pair of small scissors.   
  
"Make yourself useful."  
  
She quickly sat down on the floor next to the table and began to snip away the dead   
branches of the nearest tree. Was he talking about me? She thought again. No, if he was, thenhe would have at least seemed embarrassed or something. Must be someone else.   
But....who? She frowned slightly, scolding herself for being stupid. She just got on the ship! She just met these people! She had no idea who their other friends were or what their social life was like. But....still. "she cooks too" kept running through her mind. She decided to let it go after being wrapped up in her thoughts made her nearly clip a large (for a bonsai tree) branch off. I'll think about it later, she thought.  
  
She turned her head to look at Jet for a minute, and found that he was intently   
staring at her.   
  
"You're doing good." He said. "You know, I would never let anyone even go near my   
trees, but like I said, you have the 'touch'.  
  
"And like I said, I used to have lots of bonsai plants! Weren't you listening?"  
  
Jet smiled again and they went back to silence as they continued to tend to their   
bonsai.  
  
Gabby went back to thinking a came upon her 'vow' to learn the crew's pasts. She   
stole a quick look at Jet who was very absorbed in his tree. Would now be a good time?   
  
Did she hear me? Jet was also thinking to himself. She sure as hell isn't acting   
like it. Well, if she's willing to ignore it, than there is two choices: one, she didn't   
hear him, and two she did hear him, but doesn't want to talk about it. Oh, well. He glanced   
over at Gabby who had been staring at him, but quickly turned away.  
  
Well, this is just a stupid game, Gabby thought.   
  
"Jet?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Were you...(oh, never mind she thought. Just let it go)...ever a fisherman?"  
  
"Huh? No! Why do you say that?"  
  
"You said the Bebop was a fishing ship-"  
  
"BEFORE I got it!"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"No, I was an officer in the ISSP, but that was a long time ago. Grew up on   
Ganymede, actually."  
  
"Really? That's interesting. Why are you a bounty hunter now?"  
  
"Well, see there was an accident......"  
  
He fingered his cybernetic arm, lost in thought.  
  
"...Jet?"  
  
He looked at her.  
  
"Why don't you start from the beginning?"  
  
Jet sighed. Gabby sensed, just as she had predicted, that Jet wasn't going to put up   
a fight. She gave him a look of pure support.  
  
"Well, like I said, I grew up on Ganymede, and joined the ISSP, and......fell in   
love."  
  
Gabby's eyes went wide in shock.  
  
"Her name was Alisa. We lived together for a while, almost married, then one day I   
came home and all there was was a watch and a note that says Sayonara on it."  
  
Gabby breathed in and touched Jet's real arm, but he didn't seem to notice. The   
worst part hadn't come yet.  
  
"So I threw myself into my work and eventually got over her. Actually," He chuckled   
softly. "It's thanks to Alisa that I became such a good officer, if I do say so myself.   
But....I guess some people felt I was too good. Especially the syndicates. In fact, my own   
partner on the force was one of those people, and he was in cahoots with a dangerous   
syndicate. So one day when we were tracking down a member of that particular syndicate, I   
didn't know then that Fad, that was his name, was involved in it, but all the same we were   
tracking him down and I chased him down an alleyway to a docking area. A spotlight was   
shined in my eyes and BAM!"  
  
Gabby jumped slightly.  
  
"Someone shot me in the arm and face. I survived, but only with the help of these   
babies." He pointed to his metal arm and the small hardware under his right eye.  
  
Jet was quiet for a minute, then went back to pruning his tree as Gabby quietly   
stood up.   
  
Oh my God. she thought. How could Jet have gone through that? Faye and Spike's   
tragedies are written on their faces in red paint, but Jet.....he always seemed so good   
natured. She couldn't help herself as she felt an overwhelming wave of sadness, and had to   
bite her lip and blink her eyes rapidly to keep from crying.   
  
Jet heard her suck in her breath in attempt to cover up a sob, and looked up at her.   
He took one look at her face, and swiftly stood up and wrapped her in a hug, pressing her   
head to his chest, patting her back and murmuring soothing words as she let her sadness and   
rage come out in the form of hot tears that were beginning to make a damp spot on the front   
of Jet's shirt. When her eyes were dry, Gabby twisted her head to look at up at Jet. He was   
smiling down at her.  
  
"Feel better?"  
  
Gabby nodded her head shakily, when without warning, Jet brushed a strand of soft   
brown hair from her face. In the far back recesses of Gabby's mind she heard a voice saying:   
"Aha! So he was talking about me!"  
  
Slowly, Jet leaned his face towards Gabby's as she unwittingly lifted her chin up.   
  
He was about an inch from her face, when suddenly they both realized what they were   
doing. Both of them stepped away from each other at the same time, blushing as they stammered to cover up what had just been on their minds.  
  
"Got to water the trees." Jet almost tripped as he speedily backed up.  
  
Gabby nodded careful not to look at Jet's face, let alone his lips.  
  
"Uh, EEEDDDD! Want to bake some cookies?"  
  
She shot out the door only to smash into Spike, who was standing in front of Faye to one side of the doorway.   
  
"What are you guys doing?" Gabby demanded as she stood up, rubbing her bottom where she had landed.  
  
"Erm, nothing!" Faye brilliantly replied. She looked sheepishly at the floor while Spike strolled down the hall whistling.  
  
Gabby sighed and blushed as she realized what the two might have seen. She mumbled an apology and continued walking down the hall into the living area where Ed was hopping around with Ein at her heels singing "Cookie-wookie pookie-doo! Chocolate chip wait a bit! Yummy-yummy-woo!"  
  
Still a bit shaken, Gabby smiled and beckoned to Ed to follow her into the kitchen.  
  
"Come on, Ed. I take it you like chocolate chips."  
  
"Yep! Yummy-"  
  
"Ok, they're in the cabinet. You can have as many as you want, but leave enough for the cookies!"  
  
  
A/N: I know what you're thinking, but NO! It's not over! Far from it actually... again again again, thank you to all TEN of my reviewers!! Wow! Double digits people! Love ya all :-) 


	8. Sunflowers

"Okay, Ed," Gabby began, thankful for her patience. "I have everything out on the counter, all you have to do is dump it all in the bowl, add as many chocolate chips as you want and stir it all up."  
  
Ed stood looking at Gabby with wide eyes, and Gabby thought she understood. Ed did exactly what Gabby said, but when it came to the chocolate chips, Ed dumped the whole bag into the large bowl, and started stirring frantically with a wooden spoon Gabby had produced from her apron pocket.   
  
"Um, Ed honey?"  
  
"Yes yes?"  
  
"That's a lot of chocolate chips."  
  
"Yes yes! Lotso choco!"  
  
Gabby let Ed put blobs of the now brown batter onto the cookie sheets and put them into the oven.  
  
"Now we wait."  
  
Ed pouted. "Waiting! Ed hates waiting! Especially for cookies!!"  
  
Gabby smiled as Ed twirled in circles around the kitchen. So happy, she thought. Like Jet. Her face turned red as she thought of what had just happened. Oh, jeez, well, I am just bent on making a fool of myself today. He almost.....kissed me. Scratch that. I almost kissed him.   
  
"MMMMMM! Smells good!" Ed cried, snapping Gabby out of her thoughts.  
  
"Ed? How old are you?"  
  
"Thirteeny-weeny!"  
  
"Really? You're really young to be a hacker, are you from Earth?"  
  
"Yep! Just like Faye-Faye!"  
  
"Where are your parents?"  
  
Ed, still spinning, was silent for a few seconds.  
  
"Mommy-don't know. Daddy-map maker of Earth. Edward's daddy left Ed in daycare and forgot about Ed."  
  
Gabby's eyebrows shot up. "Forgot about you?"  
  
"Yep yep! Four, five, six, FIVE years ago, Ed went to live in a dump and followed the bebop through Edward's computer."  
  
"And one day you threatened to hack into their computer if they didn't let you on?"  
  
"Uh-huh!"  
  
"Do you miss your father?"  
  
"...yep."  
  
Gabby stopped Ed's twirling and gave her a hug. "But now you have a family, right?"  
  
"Yep yep! Jet's papa!"  
  
Gabby laughed. "Yes, he does seem like the father. Ed, the cookies won't be ready to eat for about two hours. Why don't you go play with Ein? Have you tried out his new leash yet?"  
  
Ed zoomed out of the kitchen to go get Ein's leash.  
  
Gabby sighed and leaned against the counter as she thought to herself, mission complete. How is it that everyone on this ship had a tragic past that they were willing to forget? How were all these people drawn to each other?   
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat in the doorway. She whirled around to find Spike standing there.   
  
She looked at him searchingly.  
  
She's not bad looking, he thought, mentally hitting himself in the head, not wanting to physically do it in front of Gabby.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"So......you like bonsai."  
  
She frowned slightly, not knowing what he was getting at.  
  
"Yeah, but sunflowers are my favorite."  
  
Spike looked mildly surprised. "And why is that?"  
  
"Well, they're so big! And colorful. And, well, when I was little my mother used to sing "You Are My Sunshine", you know, that old song, and I always associated that with sunflowers."  
  
"Oh. I guess you like Jet too."  
  
Gabby groaned. "Did you see that? The whole thing? Faye too?"  
  
Spike merely nodded. And lit a cigarette.  
  
Gabby decided to try a different approach.  
  
"Well, of course I like Jet! He's a very likeable guy! That doesn't mean that I feel anything besides friendship for him..."  
  
"You sure as hell got emotional about his little story."  
  
"It was sad!" She defended herself angrily.  
  
"Mine was sad and you didn't cry."  
  
"I would never cry on front of you."  
  
"Oh really? And why not?"  
  
"You wouldn't know how to handle it."  
  
"Would too."  
  
She smiled and rolled her eyes. "Surrre. And your story was really sad. I'm sorry that I didn't cry. I was, uh, crying on the inside."  
  
Now it was Spike's turn to roll his eyes. "Whatever. And you're not denying that you like him either."  
  
Gabby chose to ignore Spike. Turning her back on him, she looked in the oven and took out the cookies to cool.  
  
Letting any frustrations in her out in a breath, she turned to Spike, grinning.  
  
"You said you guys were bounty hunters. Can't you catch anyone, or is this like a one day a week job?"  
  
"No, Ed is currently working on finding us a worthwhile bounty."  
  
"So, how does it work? I mean being a bounty hunter?"  
  
"Well, first you have to catch the guy, then you bring him to the police or who ever is looking for him. It's that simple."  
  
"Oh. Oh! Look at the time! I have to make dinner! Tonight it's Doro Wat."  
  
"I'm not even gonna ask what that is. See you later, Sunshine."  
  
Gabby set to work arranging all her ingredients as it suddenly hit her what Spike had said. That's weird, she thought. At least he's acting human.  
  
Jet was still sitting at his table, not doing anything but sitting and thinking.  
  
Boy, he thought, have I made a mess of things. I just met this woman! What was I thinking? He fiddled with his hands for a minute. I wonder what would have happened if we didn't stop..? She shook his head violently so as to clear it of any disrespectful thoughts towards Gabby. He sighed, standing up and stretching, thinking it was just about time for dinner. Gee, it's nice not to have to cook. He pursed his lips thinking about how to relieve the awkwardness that would undoubtly be at the table. He smiled to himself. Gabby's not that kind of person, he thought. I'll just talk it over with her, and everything will be okay.  
  
Or would it. He couldn't deny the intense want he had felt when before they broke their embrace. Then again, it had been a little while since he had been with a woman. Was it just lust, or actual chemistry between them? Jet decided that if he wanted things to run smoothly around the ship when he would not get to find out.  
  
Rubbing the back of his head, he started down the hall towards the kitchen.  
  
  
A/N: Oh, nothing much to say here, just thank you 10 (I know there is 12 reviews Cowgirl13 and Blooknaburg ((Hi!)) reviewed twice and I thank them for that) who reviewed!! More coming soon (Mostly because I have NO homework and I'm really really bored this weekend) (:-) 


	9. Do You Really Want to Know?

Jet walked into the kitchen, trying to think of what to say. Gabby, who had just put the cover of a huge pot back on, turned around.  
  
"Oh....Jet."  
  
"Gabby-" He began, at a loss for words.  
  
"Jet, nothing happened, right?"  
  
"Wha?" He was taken aback by her sudden brashness. Just as Spike had, he wondered if she could read his mind. "Oh, yes. Yes! Defiantly."  
  
Gabby nodded her head and turned back to the stove, stirring the contents of the pot slowly.  
  
"So, what's for dinner?"  
  
"Doro Wat."  
  
"Really? Fantastic. You know you seem to know a lot of Earth recipes, why is that?"  
  
"It just really interested me, that's all. When I was in high school I took a lot of Earth studies and when I went to culinary school it was nice to be familiar with some of our projects."  
  
"Hm. Well, I'll just be going. See you at the table."  
  
Jet had his foot on the doorjamb when Gabby spoke up.  
  
"Jet I don't want things to be weird between us, I mean it wasn't that big a deal."  
  
Maybe for her it wasn't, Jet thought, but all that came out was: "Alright." He smiled and walked out the door.  
  
Dinner was served and things went pretty much the same as the previous night, minus a one sided catfight from Faye to Gabby and ogle eyes from Spike and plus one long nightgown.  
  
The next day (after a hearty breakfast that left even Faye stuffed "I could get used to this!" she had exclaimed) as Jet, Spike, and Faye were all sitting on the couch watching T.V. with their feet propped up on the coffee table, Gabby was quietly scurrying around, trying to get the room cleaned without blocking their view of the television.  
  
Without warning, Spike spoke up.  
  
"Gabby, what's your 'story'?"  
  
Jet and Faye looked at Spike, surprised at his question.  
  
"Well?" he continued, "I told you mine, you tell me yours."  
  
"You told her everything....too?" Jet slowly realized that Faye had probably poured her heart out to Gabby as well, and one look at her face gave it away.  
  
Gabby squirmed. She didn't like the way this conversation was going. She didn't want to answer the question, but they were still looking at her, waiting for an answer. She sighed. Oh well, what do I have to lose?  
  
"Do you really want to know?"  
  
"Yes!" They replied simultaneously.  
  
Gabby sighed again, wiped her hand on her apron and put her dust cloth in a pocket.  
  
"Well, as Ed already knows, my full name is Gabriella Elisabete Gerardini."  
  
Spike's eye brows went up in recognition of her last name.  
  
"The Gerardini-"  
  
"Yes the Gerardini Family Crime Syndicate. Grandpa is I guess what some people call the 'Godfather'. Daddy's only second to him. But....things were terrible. Daddy was always either in jail or had a huge bounty on his head because of something he did. When ever he got home, he was always sweet and nice, all presents and smiles, but if one thing went wrong, my mother cooked something he had a problem with or the house wasn't as clean as he thought it should be, he went into a rage and would, would....beat my mother or me."  
  
She inhaled slowly, and continued.  
  
"It wasn't a very stable childhood, we moved twelve times, visiting each planet, but my mother always kept my spirits up. She was Irish, that's why my I have blue eyes and light brown hair, not the regular black-brown hair and dark brown eyes that every one of my cousins had. Like I told you, Spike, she would sing that song to me, "You Are My Sunshine" and I know it sounds corny now but it always made me feel better. With any of the other male members of the, uh, family I was the little princess. In fact, some of the media started to refer to me as 'The Traditional Mafia Princess". I hated living like that, but   
  
there was nothing I could do. When I was fifteen, my father informed me that I was going to marry my cousin, Rick. I hated Ricky! He a miniature of my father in mind and spirit. From the time he was seven he always hung around Daddy. When we were very little, and were playing, if I didn't do something he liked, just like my father, he would hit me. Sometimes my father even encouraged it. It was sick. When I was seventeen, I got accepted early into the Culinary School of Southern Venus and was so happy to be out. Daddy hated it though. He wanted me home. Several times, when I didn't some home for vacation, he would send his goonies to come and get me, most of the time against my will. When I was twenty-five, I graduated from that school and got a job as a home economics teacher on Pluto, because my father was currently residing on Saturn. I wanted to get as far away form him as I could get. One day, when I was twenty-six I was walking out of my school, and a bag was pulled   
  
over my head. I felt a blow to my head, and next thing I know everything's black and I'm waking up in Daddy's office."  
  
She paused, catching her breath.   
  
"Well, what happened?" Faye was just too impatient.  
  
"He said to me, 'Gabby, you shouldn't have left.' Rick was standing behind my father. 'Our wedding's in a week' he said. I just shook my head and ran out. I could hear my father talking to Rick. 'We'll get her.' He said. But they didn't get me. I ran far away, I still had my accounting device with me and got food when I needed it, but mainly lived off the streets. That went on for two years, and then they found me. Four days ago in fact. I guess I was starting to get careless, because I stayed in a hotel that night. The next day, I walked out of the hotel, and walked down the street, when I turned around and one of Daddy's henchmen hit me on the head with something, I have no idea what, and grabbed me. I got away and started to run down the street, and saw Spike standing next to his ship, and the rest is history."  
  
Gabby looked down, her eyes welling up with tears. She hated to talk or even think about her life. It was just too painful. But...it wasn't too bad. Other people have it worse, she thought as she looked at the faces of her comrades on the couch.   
  
"Oh...Gabby... I'm so sorry...." Jet stood up and touched her shoulder, but she ignored it.   
  
Faye stayed put, soaking in the story. She's lying, was her first thought. Nobody could have gone through all that and remain....well...Gabby.   
  
Spike was also still sitting on the couch, but popped up shaking, his hands in fists. "I...HATE..the syndicates." He forced out. Faye looked alarmingly at Spike.  
  
"Whoa there cowboy." She said as she pulled him back down to the couch.   
  
Gabby, smiled shakily through repressed tears and took her dust rag back out to resume cleaning.  
  
"Oh, it's okay, I guess we're all even now, huh?"  
  
Jet sat back down on the couch next to Spike who still had a murderous look in his eye.   
  
"How does that song go again? Oh, I remember now..."  
  
As he started to (try to) sing in his gruff voice, Gabby stopped cleaning and looked at him gratefully.  
  
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,  
  
You make me happy, when skies are gray,  
  
You'll never know dear, how much I love you,  
  
Just please don't take my sunshine away."  
  
"Thanks Jet." Gabby finally said, and walked out of the room, sniffling. "I...have to go ...cook something....."  
  
Spike shot up to go follow her, but Jet held him back.   
  
"Spike, you need to calm down."  
  
"No! I won't! Don't you realize how, how...screwed syndicates are! They need to be stopped! Helpless people like Gabby get sucked into these things unintentionally. It's horrible...."  
  
Jet looked worried. "Spike, there's nothing you can do. It's impossible to just go out and take down every syndicate in the galaxy!"  
  
Spike sighed and sat back down. "I know. But...it's not right!"  
  
Faye had been quiet the whole time, thinking. Damn, Spike sure got worked up about that. What's up with him? Julia got messed up by the syndicate (I know that much) and he didn't go out and take down the system. Does he like Gabby? But, I just KNOW that Jet likes her. Uh-oh. This is bad, real bad.  
  
Ed, who had been quietly tapping keys on her computer, unnoticed, creeped up to the couch.  
  
"Spike-person? Edward found a bounty..."  
  
Spike sighed. "Okay, Ed. what is it?"  
  
Ed read it from her computer, softly, and not in her usual manner because Spike's outburst had somewhat scared her.  
  
"Alright, we'll leave tonight...after dinner."   
  
  
  
A/N: OOHHH!! OMG!! 20 reviews!!!! Thank you all!!!!! Big smooches for all of you!!!! Ok, sorry, I'll calm down. I'm just soo excited! Oh, and I just have to add this little disclaimer: I do NOT own the phrase "Whoa there cowboy" it belongs to my friend Shannon, who says it all the time. Just had to add that! (:-) 


	10. Man Troubles

Dinner was delicious (that night it was Grand Isle Stuffed Trout), but everyone was silent, sneaking looks at Gabby every few minutes. Suddenly, she banged her fist on the table, startling everyone.  
  
"Stop it!"   
  
Jet looked at her quizzically. "Stop what?"  
  
"Being so quiet. I can't stand it! Don't treat me any different."  
  
"Fine." They all murmured, but still didn't dare to try and start a conversation. Finally, Spike spoke up.  
  
"We're going on a bounty tonight. After dinner."  
  
"Oh? When will you be back? Is everyone going?"  
  
"Yeah, Jet will take Ed with him in his hammerhead."  
  
Gabby cocked and eye brow. "I'm assuming that's his ship."  
  
"Yep. I don't know when we'll be back. Probably tomorrow."  
  
"Oh. What will you do with the Bebop?...Park it somewhere?"  
  
"Yeah, probably, why are you asking so many questions?"  
  
"I was just wondering! Jeez!"  
  
The tension hung in the air until Gabby cleared the dishes and went off to wash them.  
  
About twenty minutes later, Jet appeared in the doorway.   
  
"We're leaving."  
  
Gabby, turned around with a worried look on her face.  
  
"Jet, I don't want you guys to think you're my baby-sitters of anything, you're not responsible for me at all! But, I was just wondering...."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you have any kind of security system?"  
  
"Yeah, and don't worry! I'll protect you." He said smiling and only half joking.  
  
Gabby giggled nervously, and returned his smile. "Thanks. Where are you going, anyway?"  
  
"Mars."  
  
"Oh! They have all the shopping centers there, don't they?"  
  
"Yeah...why? Do you want me to bring you back something?"  
  
"No, that's okay. Umm, have fun, I guess."  
  
Jet shook his head and laughed. "I'll try."  
  
Gabby heard the sound of Spike and Faye's ships start up.  
  
"Well, you'd better get going, see you tomorrow."  
  
Jet awkwardly patted her on the shoulder. "Yep. See you."  
  
With that, he left and Gabby heard the three ships roar off and the hatch close.  
  
Well, it's just me and the dog, Gabby thought. She walked into the living area and sat down on the couch, Ein jumping up beside her. Sitting still for a moment her thoughts turned to Jet. Jet.....oooh things were so confusing! She had had boyfriends before, but they were just little flings, usually not lasting more than two or three months. Rick didn't even count. A tiny soft voice in the way far back of her brain squeaked something out: I wish he'd done more. She didn't even brother to chastise herself for thinking it as she pondered on it. What if he had done more? What if they HAD kissed? Then what? She frowned in confusion while absentmindedly stroking Ein, who was wagging his stubby little tail. And then there's Spike. He's probably just a flirt, she thought. But, no. I know he's capable of true love, Julia is, well, dead proof of that. And why am I thinking about him? He's not even interested in me....is he? Nope. He's never going to get over Julia. Not ever.  
  
She smiled down at Ein. "Boy, don't ever get into a relationship, okay?"  
  
Ein wagged his tail even harder and licked her hand.  
  
Gabby yawned and stretched, realizing how tired she was, not even bothering to go to her room, she lay down on the couch, Ein curling up between her legs and the back of the couch.  
  
"Oh, boo-hoo, -yawn- me with my man troubles." She mumbled before sinking into a deep sleep.  
  
~Gabby walked down the main hall of the Bebop. It looked really, really long. If she could only reach the end. Jet appeared. "Hey Jet!" "Hello sunshine." But Spike called me that, she wondered vaguely. He hugged her, just like he had done when she had started crying, but she wasn't crying. She looked shyly into his face and he smiled at her. He leaned down, and Gabby rushed her lips up to meet his. In the spilt second before their lips met, Jet's face turned into Spike's and he grinned at her. "Julia...." He said.~  
  
Gabby shot up, causing Ein to jump off the couch in shock. Her hands flew to her flushed cheeks, remembering her dream. I thought those kind of dreams were supposed to go away after puberty, she thought bitterly. She heard the sound of the door opening, and she turned around to see Jet and a tired Spike and Faye stumble through the door.  
  
"I'm going to my room." Spike grumbled.  
  
"Damnit Jet! Why the hell didn't we stop somewhere!? There are plenty of motels on Mars!"   
  
"We needed to get home. And you know there is such a thing as auto pilot. You could have just switched it on and slept through the whole trip."  
  
Faye grumbled and dragged herself after Spike down the hall.  
  
Ed zoomed in after Jet and started plugging wires back into her computer, which she had taken with her. She was singing a new song- "Goldie-woldie sunflower-power!"  
  
Jet sat down beside Gabby on the couch. "Did you sleep down here last night?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, I was really tired."  
  
He noted her still flushed cheeks.  
  
"Have a bad dream?"  
  
"No! It wasn't bad at all-" She stopped, her cheeks growing even redder. "I-it's just, oh nothing."  
  
Jet raised his eyebrows, but didn't press the matter any further.  
  
"I brought you back something."  
  
"You didn't have to-"  
  
"Here, it's a communication device. See, there's the screen, who ever you're talking to's face will show up there. You use that dial to adjust the frequency. I've set it to our main network-it will connect to Spike, Faye, mine, and Ed's computer all at once, but on the back is a list of our separate ones...you know, just in case."  
  
"Wow, thank you Jet! I hope this didn't cost too much."  
  
Jet waved his hand dismissively. "Nah....I also got you this."  
  
Jet Held out his hand, which had a small box in it.   
  
What? Is he proposing? She thought. No the box is too big. She took the box from his hand, while Jet leaned back and rested his arms along the top of the couch, one arm lightly touching her shoulders. She took the lid off the box and peeked inside, Jet sneaking a sidelong glance at her expression.  
  
  
A/N: Ooh sooo sorry for cutting it off so suddenly, but it has to end somewhere, right?? On a different note....22 REVIEWS!!! I can't believe it!! Wow! Thank you all you wonderful people you!!! More to come!!! :-) 


	11. Ignore It

She took the whole top off the box and further studied its contents. It was a thin gold chain with a tiny, delicate golden sunflower charm hanging from it. She lifted the chain out and let it dangle from her fingers, admiring it as the charm spun cirles in mid air.  
  
"Well, what do you think? Spike told me your favorite flowers were sunflowers-"  
  
Ed's singing became louder.  
  
"-but I didn't know if he was telling the truth, but when I was, er, passing by a store I saw this and I thought you might like it, but if you don't I'll take it right back, and get you something you do like because they had a wide variety of charms at that store, all at reasonable-"  
  
"Jet, stop babbling, I love it."  
  
Jet sighed with relief and smiled.   
  
"It's beautiful! That was really sweet of you Jet, you didn't have to. Can you help me get it on?"  
  
She handed the ends of the chain to Jet behind her neck and lifted up her hair. Jet's large clumsy hands tried to link the clasp with quite a bit of trouble. Grunting Jet finally closed it. Gabby, who had been waiting patiently, turned around and without thinking, kissed Jet on the cheek.   
  
Woah. Jet thought as he felt the sparks of electricity fly along his skin where her lips had touched his cheek.  
  
Gabby, stood up a little too calmly, trying as hard as she could not to show her embarassment. She giggled and wiped her light lipstick off his cheek.   
  
"I.....I think I'll go and, um , organize my room. Yeah."  
  
With that she walked off, not daring to look back at Jet even though she could feel his eyes boring twin holes into the back of her head.  
  
Once Gabby was out of sight, Jet sighed and rubbed his cheek where she had kissed him. Damn, he thought. If she didn't feel that then....... But, he sighed sadly, I know the chemistry is on his end only. That's it. No more thinking of Gabby like this. She's basically a lost cause. And what if something did happen to us and it didn't work out? I wouldn't leave, this is MY ship. She would probably leave, and be in danger. No, if I care for Gabby at all, even if it has to be just as friends, I can't let that happen. End of story.  
  
Gabby broke into a run as soon as she was out of earshot of Jet. She flew into her room and flopped on the bed, face down., breathing heavily. Stupid, stupid, stupid!! I have to start thinking, THEN acting! She rolled over on her back with a comforting thought. It was harmless, really. He gave me a nice gift and I was thanking him. I mean, that's just how I work. If Faye or Spike had given it to me I probably would have reacted in the same way. Maybe. Plus, it's not Jet I'm having troubles with, it's just his image. Yeah, that's it. She had always liked the bulky, muscular, well, manly type of men. The type who could wrap you up in their arms and make you fell, oh so small..... She trembled in excitment. Just like Jet. Oh, well. Hmm, I seem to be saying that a lot lately. Jet doesn't feel anything for you, and you know it, so anything you might think has even a tiny hidden meaning in it, ignore it. THUNK. She hit her head against the wall. Ignore it. THUNK. Ignore it. THUNK.....  
  
Spike wrapped his pillow over his ears and started to chant in an effot to dorwn out the banging that was coming from Gabby's room.  
  
"Ignore it."  
THUNK.   
"Ignore..it."   
THUNK.   
"Ignore it...!"   
THUNK.   
"IGNORE IT!"  
"That's it....."  
  
He stood up and stormed into the hall to Gabby's room ready to let her know exactly what was on his mind. He stood in the doorway, and all Gabby could see was a tall, looming shadow in the doorway. Something in the back of her mind clicked. She shrunk back against the wall in fear, and whimpered.   
  
"No Daddy, please."  
  
She said this so quietly that Spike didn't hear her and walked in the room.  
  
"Daddy, no!"  
  
She shrank even farther against the wall and started to shake uncontrollably. Spike heard her this time, and sped towards her hurriedly as she curled up in a ball. He shook her as she kept babbling on and on about how she was sorry, Daddy. Her eyes were glazed over. He shook her as hard as he could.  
  
"Snap out of it!"  
  
Spike looked down into Gabby's face, pale and scared, but the crazy look was gone. She was still shaking, and he could see the dim light from the hall reflecting the tears in her eyes that were threatening to spill over.  
  
"Thanks." She whispered weakly.   
  
Spike didn't say anything, but held her tightly as her violent sobs shook both their bodies. Spike was mad. Very mad. He just couldn't understand how anyone could do this to another living being, especially Gabby. His eyes hardened over with hate as he intensified his grip on her. It's all the syndicates' fault. Gabby could be a regular girl, free of the phantoms of her past, and he would be, well, what would he be, he thought. What would I be without the syndicates? Who cares, came a voice from the back of his brain. You didn't have anything going for you anyway. Gabby on the other hand, could be living a perfect life.   
  
Gabby sighed as the last dry sobs escaped her body. She would have never have guessed that Spike could be so strong. She just looked so.....lanky. She noticed the increasing of his hold on her, and it was starting to get painful.   
  
"Umm, Spike? I kind of need to breathe...."  
  
Spike backed off and looked Gabby straight in the eye.   
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
She smiled at Spike, but he was still frowing at her in worry.   
  
"He must have really messed you up, huh?"  
  
"....I guess."  
  
"There's no 'I guess' about it."  
  
Faye appeared in the dorrway and walked over to the bed where Spike and Gabby had been sitting. She hadn't heard their whole conversation, but knew that something was wrong, but didn't want to call attention to it. She stretched and yawned and said the first thing that came to mind.  
  
"Hey, Gabby, you ever been to a casino?"  
  
A/N: For those of you who didn't read what I posted, I think I totally blew out my mind this weekend with all the chapters I did. Think I'm over my 'writer's block' though. And cowgirl and blooknaburg, do you find it nessecary to post something on every single chapter? I love it! ^_^ 


	12. Missy

Gabby looked at Faye with a stange look on her face.  
  
"Now that you mention it, no. Why do you ask?"  
  
Faye stretched again and tried to look as bored as possible.  
  
"Well, the bounty paid off a lot, and I was thinking of making a little deposit."  
  
Gabby looked at Faye again, wondering exactlt how you could make a deposit at a casino, but let it go as she saw a flicker of hope flash across Faye's face. Hmmm, she must really be lonely, she thought. She smiled at Faye.  
  
"You want me to go with you? That's-"  
  
Spike interrupted Gabby with a clearing of his throat.  
  
"Faye, I don't want you to, erm, pass your wonderful luck onto Gabby."  
  
Faye scolwed at Spike.   
  
"I don't lose all the time. Plus, it'll be...fun."  
  
Gabby stood up and slid her arm around Faye's waist.  
  
"Don't worry Spike! I'm sure Faye and I will have a great time!"  
  
She giggled and walked out the door with Faye.  
  
"You'll just have to show me the ropes is all....."  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Faye and Gabby were speeding along in Jet's hammerhead. He was reluctant to give them the use of it at first, Faye whining that her ship was too small for the both of them, but finally he gave in.  
  
Faye was fiddling around with the controls trying to get the hang of the unfamiliar controls. When she finally got the ship off the ground, she turned to Gabby, trying to make conversation and get some good gossip at the same time.  
  
"Sooo, Gabby, what's up with you and Jet?"  
  
"Nothing." Gabby stared straight ahead. Her cheeks turning the slightest shade of pink.  
  
Faye cocked an eyebrow.  
  
"Really...."  
  
"Yep."  
  
Unsatisfied with her answer, Faye tried a different line of attack.  
  
"Well, what about Spike?"  
  
"Nothing!"  
  
Gabby looked at Faye inquisitvely.  
  
"Why are you asking?"  
  
Faye ignored her question.  
  
"Nothing, eh? I don't know, you seemed pretty wrapped up in his arms before I walked in...."  
  
Gabby opened her mouth in protest, but couldn't find anything to say.  
  
"...and Jet, well, you were there same as me."  
  
Gabby bit her lip and looked down, not wanting to meet Faye's smirking face.   
  
"Well", she sighed and let out her feelings in one breath. "I KNOW Jet's not interested, end of story. But Spike......" She frowned and looked staight at Faye. "It's just so confusing, you know?"  
  
Faye grinned and clucked her toungue.  
  
"Gabby, Gabby, Gabby. I've been around and with lots of men, and believe me, they never know what the hell they want."  
  
Gabby merely stared at Faye with a look that said: really?  
  
"They're all just big babies, but they all want to be macho. You have to make all things appear as though they are the smartest beings in the universe. You have to give out an aura of helpnessness and delicateness. It makes them feel strong. Then, when they're marshmallows over the fire, all full of themselves, they take you home one night, and they're yours. You can do whatever you want. Of course, this all takes a long time, maybe two hours."  
  
Faye looked over at a skeptic looking Gabby, waiting for a response.  
  
"Maybe for you, Faye things are like that, but, I don't think Jet is like that....or Spike either. They've both lost women who they loved, I think that counts for something, right?"  
  
Faye scrunched up her face in thought.  
  
"Well, yeah, but they're still men on the inside. See...the stuff I just said is about MEN. Some where out there there is a person for everyone else. Like a soul mate or some shit like that. Whether you find that person is entirely up to you, but there is someone out there who you are destined to spend your whole damn life with. See, with Spike and Jet obviously weren't meant to be with Julia and what's her face-"  
  
"Alisa." Gabby said softly.  
  
"Yeah, whatever, but it just wasn't meant to be. Spike is hung up over that fact, see?"  
  
Gabby just sat there, taking it all in. Jeez, she thought, I never knew Faye had such philososphy. She looked at Faye who had her eyes back on the space that was in front of her.  
  
"Well, what about you, Faye?"  
  
Faye turned to Gabby.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, do you think you'll ever find your 'soul mate'? There's a lot of people out there."  
  
"I get around, I'll find him someday. Well, here we are. It's not exactlty the nicest joint in the world, but the stakes are high and the games are easy, so you should have no problem. Just stay close to me, and you should have no problem. Just, ah, don't call me by my name, ok? Word gets around...."  
  
Gabby followed her out to the dingy building with a broken neon sign that said "McGeary's Palace". Suddenly, Faye whirled around and stopped her.  
  
"Umm, do you have any money? I mean in cash?"  
  
"No, all I have is this device, but-"  
  
"Uh, you better not show that thing. If the wrong person get's a look at your total, well....Anyways, just withdraw some now onto a card and we can exchange it inside."  
  
Gabby fumbled around in her skirt pocket (she had left her apron at home and exchanged her usual dress for a short sleeved blouse and pleated skirt) for her device and held it out, her fingers over the buttons.  
  
"How much should I take out? Fifty? One hundred?"  
  
"Try...five thousand."  
  
"Uhh, okay.."  
  
The device spit out a card and the walked into the establishment.  
  
It was a little cleaner on the inside than it was on the outside. There was a bunch of sleazy men with skanky women hanging on their arms. Faye strolled in regally, her head up in the air, and men's heads turned as she passed them. Gabby, feeling quite out of place, timidly smiled at the people who were staring at her as questioningly as the men were staring longingly at Faye's body. She hurried along and kept right behind Faye as she walked up to a desk to exchange Gabby's money card.  
  
"Do you know how to play poker?"  
  
"What's poker?"  
  
Faye sighed and shook her head sadly.   
  
"You know, for some one who was homeless, you don't have much street smarts. C'mon, I'll show you. You just watch for a couple of hands and you can join in when you feel ready. Don't worry! I'll help you."  
  
After a few hands, Faye was nearly broke, and was batting her eyelashes at a few men who looked as if they were about to lend her some money.  
  
"Faye, I think I get the object of the game, but I'm just guessing it's not to play like you are, right?"  
  
Faye rolled her eyes.  
  
"I'm just warming up....wait, you take my place, I think I can bum some money off this guy-be right back."  
  
Gabby sat down on the ratty seat uncertain of what the splotch on it was. She smiled nervously at the grubby dealer who was eyeing her with distaste.  
  
"Five card draw, nothin' wild."  
  
Gabby picked up her cards and looked at them, not exactly knowing how good they were as she put down her bet. She had been paying attention to Faye's method of winning, but it hadn't seemed to be working.  
  
"How many will ya have."   
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"How many are ya discardin'? Quit holdin' up the game, woman!"  
  
Gabby alarmed, stammered out her reply.  
  
"None...?"  
  
"Nothin'! Ya sure now?"  
  
"Uh, yes."  
  
"Alrighty."  
  
Gabby was quite taken aback by the looks she was getting from the other players as they grinned at her and took plies of three and two into their hand.   
  
"Show yer cards."  
  
Gabby layed down her cards flat on the table as the other people at the table called off the names of their hands. Most of which Gabby was definatly not familiar with.   
  
"And what do you have missy?"  
  
"Um, I don't know, I was hoping you could tell me...?"  
  
The dealer eyed the cards with impatience.  
  
"Jack, jack, that's a pair, queen, jack, three of a kind and..a queen? My, you've got yerself a full house there, missy!"  
  
Gabby looked at the other players who were throwing their hands up in exasperation.  
  
"Is that good...?"  
  
"Well, it beat everyone else, you win!"  
  
"I win?"  
  
"Am I stutterin'? Here, take these, playin' again?"  
  
Gabby nodded her head as poker chips were shoved at her. She turned around to look for Faye, who was shoving her breasts up to some man who was obviously going to give her some money soon.   
  
"Faye!" She yelled. "Faye! I won!"  
  
Faye turned her attention from the now drooling man to wave at Gabby.  
  
"That's good! I'll be over in a minute."  
  
A minute turned into a half hour, and an hour, until Gabby had a small mountain of chips and a small crowd behind her, crying out 'Missy!' at every win. Faye, for her own part had a her own group of men whom Faye was shamelessly flirting with, even though she had already gotten her needed wulongs, and then some. The 'conversation' turned to Gabby whose cheeks were bright red from the excitement.  
  
"That little missy seems to be winning a lot."  
  
"Oh, yeah, I brought her here, she's my...friend. It's her very first time playing, you know?"  
  
Faye batted her eyelashes, trying to get the conversation back to her.  
  
"On the other hand, I've been playing for years..."  
  
"Oh really, and so that's why you needed some money from a poor old man like me?"  
  
Faye playfully hit the man who had made that remark, not noticing the shrinking of Gabby's crowd. She pursed her lips and lowered her eyelids.  
  
"That's not all I might need from you."  
  
The man raised an eyebrow.  
  
Oh God, Faye thought, men are so stupid, especially trashy ones. Why do I even do this?  
  
"Hey, where'd little missy go?"  
  
Faye smiled and leaned in towards another man.  
  
"Oh she's probably surrounded by her fans."  
  
"Nnnooo, they're all gone."  
  
Faye turned around and scanned the casino, searching for Gabby. She wasn't too worried about ehr she probably just went to the bathroom or something (not that she would actually want to go within ten feet of the place) but as she twisted back around to her men, she saw the table Gabby had been sitting at, and at her place was a pile of chips. She didn't take them? Faye thought. She's not that ignorant, she knows that they're worth money, but where did she go? She turned back around, smiling.  
  
"If you boys will just excuse me for a minute, I have to go find Mis- er my friend."  
  
She walked over to the dealer that Gabby had been playing with.   
  
"I think these belong to my friend." Faye said, scooping up the hill of money in her arms.   
  
"So, you're friends with Missy, eh? First time playin'!'  
  
Faye rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yeah I know. And her name's Gabby-"  
  
The dealer waved away her remark with his hand.  
  
"Nope, it's Missy. Sweet girl. If you're looking for your men they already left."  
  
Faye stared at the dealer. This is too pathetic, she thought. He actually thinks he knows her. And what men? Oh whatever, I need to get out of here.  
  
"Where did she go?"  
  
"Well, a couple of minutes ago your men came, and left with her out that door. They're probably waiting for you outside."  
  
Faye stated to panic.  
  
"WHAT MEN, DAMNIT!?"   
  
The dealer cringed at her screaming.  
  
"The men in suits...I thought you girls were with 'em....."  
  
Faye leaned over and grabbed the man by his collar, dragging him onto the table. She hissed at him threateningly.  
  
"What exactly did theses men look like?"  
  
"Uhh, d-dark suits, tall, s-stocky...I swear, I don't know anything else!"  
  
She pushed him back behind the table as she walked as quickly as she could out the door, hardly aware of all the eyes on her.  
  
She burst out the door, now running, into the dark deserted street, only lit by a few dim streetlights. She heard a swift thud and a man grunt. She spun around a swuinted as she saw two large men struggling with something and trying to get it into their ship.  
  
"Mmmrph, Faye! Helmmmph!"  
  
Fay heard Gabby's partially muffled screams from down the street and started to run to her as she heard her kick one of the men again. Shit! She thought. I'm too slow! She watched in horror as a third man came out of the ship and grabbed Gabby around the waist and flung her mercilessly into the cargo trunkand slammed the door shut as the other men hopped in and the ship zoomed off into the black sky.   
  
Faye reached the spot the ship had taken off, breathing heavily and looking up to try and spot it. She hit herslef in the head. No! She thought. How could I be so stupid! I should have kept a better eye on her! She bent down to examine a glint she saw on the ground.   
  
She picked up Gabby's necklace that Jet had given her, now with a broken chain. Oh, shit, she thought again. Spike and Jet are going to kill me. She ran back to the hammerhead and sped away as fast as it would go.  
  
  
A/N: Hey loyal peoples! Thank you all for reviewing!! Sorry, sorry, sorry I havn't updated lately, but I think I'm going to be writing a lot more. See I havn't been writing because at soccer practice, I broke my ACL (it's a ligament below your kneecap). That's right boys and girls, broke. Nooooo, I couldn't be a normal person and just tear it, wait two weeks and it'll be all better, no I had to break the whole goldarn thing. So no gym, soccer or badically anything that involves moving. Until the surgery....dun dun DUN! *Shudders* Anyways, thanks again for all your reviews!! :-) 


	13. Trembles

"WHAT!!??"  
  
Faye had sped back to the bebop in tears and had just finished explaining to whole story to a stern Spike and Jet. Spike was scarily bellicose, while Jet was on a line between Spike's state and severe worry.  
  
Faye was shaking, worried that Spike would kill her right on the spot for what happened and backed away when he stood up.   
  
Ed had been listening quietly, petting Ein and not acting like her usual self. Suddenly She stood up.  
  
"Is Gabby-Wabby coming back? Edward wants to make cookies."  
  
Spike spun around, staring hard at Ed.  
  
"Of course she is. Get on your computer and find her."  
  
Ed looked at him in worry.  
  
"NOW!"  
  
She scrambled to get her tomato as fast as she could, tripping over Ein in the process.  
  
Jet stared at the broken necklace in his hand that Faye had dropped into his hand earlier. He sqeezed his hand into a strong fist abruptly.  
  
"We gotta get her back. Ed hurry up!"  
  
"Ed is working as fast as Ed can...nothing, nothing, searching, searching...."  
  
Spike paced back and forth.  
  
"It has to be that bastard of a father and cousin. Who else?"  
  
Jet nodded.  
  
"But where are they? Ed, keep looking!"  
  
Spike punched a fist into his other hand.  
  
"Damnit Faye! How could you be so stupid? Does getting some guy into bed come before watching out for her?"  
  
"I said I was sorry!" Faye screamed, all her guilty emotions coming out in anger towards Spike.  
  
Jet stood up between to two.  
  
"Stop it. This isn't helping any. Just cool it Spike, we'll find her, and as for you Faye," he growled, pointing a metallic finger at her, "when all this is over, you are in big trouble."  
  
Faye gulped and nodded, trembling.  
  
"I need a cigarette.."Spike mumbled reaching into his pocket.  
  
"Give me one too." Came the simoultaneous reply from Faye and Jet.   
  
They all sat in the living area, chain smoking and barking at Ed when their tensions reached a breaking point for hours as it seemed, until finally they heard a soft squeak come from Edward's diretcion.  
  
"Gabby-Wabby is with her daddy on a crater near Mars. Can we go now?"  
  
Spike shot towards the hatch, but was jerked back by a swift hook on the collar from Jet.  
  
"Spike, sit down. I'm serious. If we just go in there, no plan, then we could all get killed, including Gabby, you need to sit."  
  
"NO! We need to get there! She could be..."  
  
"Spike, I want to get Gabby back safely, just as much as you do (maybe even more, he thought) but the fact of the matter is, we need a good plan. Just listen to me this once, someone's life who we all care about is on the line."  
  
Spike narrowed his eyes and turned around, shaking with anger, towards Jet.  
  
"Alright. Fine. Ed, you will stay here in case Gabby calls, and give us directions-"  
  
"Aww, Edward wants to come-"  
  
"NO!"  
  
Ed looked at the floor an took Ein in her arms.  
  
"Faye you'll distract the guards the same way you got into this mess."  
  
Faye looked away, the tears in her eyes brimming over.  
  
"Jet, me and you'll take out anyone who gets in our way."  
  
Jet was silent for a minute.  
  
"Fine, let's go."  
  
The three all but sprinted to the hanger as Edward glanced wistfully after them, glancing down at Ein who barked in agreement to her next comment.  
  
"Edward hopes Gabby-Wabby is okey-dokey, Ein."  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
Gabby woke up in a dark, cold metal storage place of some kind. She was still drowsy from the chloroform that had been shoved into her mouth on a hankerchief after she was thrown into the ship. Her foot that she had kicked the thug with the rock hard stomach with throbbed in pain as she moved around. Her skirt and blouse were ripped, and her hair was a mess. She struggled against the bonds that held her hands together with no avail.   
  
She ceased her useless straining and laid depressingly on the freezing floor, giving up all hope. Her eyes welled up with tears. Oh god, she thought. This is it. This is the time Daddy's really got me. Mom's not here anymore. She can't make it all better. What were you thinking? Did you actually think you could get away from him? Her tears made a small puddle on the floor as she sank into deep sobs that quivered through her whole body. As she lay weeping a revelation struck her. Jet! Oh and Spike and Faye and Ed too. They'll rescue me! Yes! They'll come in here, guns out- wait. How? How will they even know where I am? How will they get past Daddy's guards and...oh! I'm back at at square one!   
  
She sat up, still crying, but not as fiercely as before. She looked up at what she assumed was the ceiling, but it was so dark she wasn't sure. Did I do something to deserve this? She had never been very religious, but now she was wondering if she had unwittingly offened God in some severe way. If so, dear lord, I am so deeply, DEEPLY sorry. I promise, if I ever get out of here, I'll, I'll.....Oh whatever. She gave up on pleading with a seemingly deaf, dumb and blind guy up in heaven. Why am I making promises to him? If I veer get out of this, I promise myself I will learn how to make vichyssoise perfectly, I'll have Jet teach me....Jet....She bit her lip under the cloth in worry. She had only known him for a short time, him and the rest of the Bebop crew, but she only realized now how much she loved them. Faye, so hard and semmingly untouchable, but soft and lonely under her mask. Edward, she sniffled and giggled in spite of her situation. Edward, what a sweet child. How can anyone NOT love Edward? Spike. Yep, Spike. What is there to say about Spike? SO strong, so...so...Spike! And Jet.....  
  
Despite of her understanding of his feeling for her, she felt her stomach do a flip-flop. Stop it. Don't even think about it. It's not like you're actually going to get out of here anyway. Even though she thought her eyes were dry of tears, her body let fountains run free as if to spite her. She curled up on the ground again piteously.   
  
Suddenly, a large door was opened as a streak of blinding sunlight shone in her eyes as a stocky man in a suit bent down over her.  
  
"We told you, Gabby. But you never seemed to listen....."  
  
Gabby's eyes widened in horror as he shut the door, leaving her and her abusive cousin alone in the darkness, as she could hear his shoes tapping their way towards her.  
  
  
A/N: Oooh! Thankies thankies to all of you who reviewed!! Doubly thanks to Atomic One and Cowgirl!! Glad I can find someone to sympathize with.....Anywho, Love ya all!! :-) 


	14. Mi Figlia

The three raced to Gabby's location, occasionally taking mumbled directions from a very upset Edward. She had not realized until Jet, Faye and Spike had flown off without even bothering to close the hatch how much danger Gabby was in. She had looked up Gabby's father on the computer and he was not a very nice person, as Ed had concluded. More than a few charges of murder and assault with a deadly weapon were on him.   
  
As the Faye trailed along in a line with Jet and Spike, (Jet in the lead) she mentally beat herself for not watching over Gabby. She had never felt so guilty in her whole life. Spike was also wrapped up in his own thoughts, mainly, Syndicates are evil, Gotta get her back, and I'll kill him. Mostly "I'll kill him." He was thinking about her father, of course.  
  
Jet, on the other hand, taking control of Spike's whole plan, at the front of the procession, thinking quietly to himself. Didn't matter whether I got involved with her or not, he thought. Trust Faye to screw things up. He almost grinned to himself. I thought that if she was going to be put in danger, I'd at least get a little happiness out of it.   
  
He sped by a large meteorite just north of mars, with a huge crater in it and a flashy city incased in its oxygen dome.   
  
"That's it." Came a little squeak from the communicator in front of Jet.  
  
He swung around, with Spike and Faye silently following him.  
  
"Umm, Ed thinks the place is a big big building on Carson Street."  
  
Jet gave no indication that he understood what Edward had said, but landed anyway, got out, and headed towards the nearest person who might know where Carson Street was, Faye and Spike (who was now quietly seething) still following.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
Rick thankfully hadn't done much to her, just slapping her around a bit from her still bound posture on the floor, though he gleefully promised much more, especially if she tried to escape. When no reply came from Gabby, and he was sure she was completely broken in spirit, he picked her up and carried her like out the door to a now dark street and into a scary looking building.  
  
Ricky's stronger than I thought, she thought vaguely to herself. Just like Spike. Maybe he's gotten stronger since the last time I saw him. A couple of years ago he couldn't even shake hands with some one without cringing. I bet Jet could lift me up like I weighed two pounds. She almost laughed as she looked up into Rick's now sweating face. He was puffing, although they had only went up an elevator and were now walking down a long corridor. Never mind, she thought to herself. Some things will never change.  
  
They went into a dark office, which was right next to a flight of stairs, as Gabby noted. Inside was her father at a desk, alone, which was unusual. His hands formed a steeple on his desk and he sighed as Rick, now practically gasping for breath, dumped her on the floor. One nod from her father sent Ricky over to Gabby to take off her gag.   
  
"Uncle Armand, whadda we gonna do with her?"  
  
Armand Gerardini sat quiet for a minute, and seemed to be pondering. Finally he spoke entirely ignoring Rick's question.  
  
"Gabriella...mi figlia. What have you done? I told you not to run away. And where did you run to? Not a nice establishment, but a crappy one on southern Mars. How could you? What have I raised you to be........."  
  
He stood up and walked over to her, reaching out to stroke her head, but she jerked it away.  
  
"What have you raised me to be? Afraid! Abused! Living in a world of lies and injuries and syndicates! Running away every six months! What do you expect me to do but run away from you? I learn from the best."  
  
She glared at him with hatred as he started to laugh.  
  
"I knew you would be like this. How else would a girl from the Gerardini family behave? Ah, but Gabby, you must learn, my fiori. Women must be kind, sweet, gentle beings. You can already cook, but if that is all, you will never be a good wife to young Rick ."  
  
Gabby screamed and tried to jump at her father, but tripped on her bound feet and fell on her face.   
  
Her father was quiet for another minute.  
  
"Ricky, but her gag back on. Take her into that room," he pointed to the door leading to the room abutting theirs,"and do what you like. We must teach this leone to be a gattino."  
  
Despite Gabby's furious shaking of her head, Ricky rebound her and dragged her into the next room, kicking and screaming muffled.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
Jet, Spike and Faye stood to the side of a large ominous looking building with two large men at the front door, Spike vehemently smoking a cigarette. Jet turned to the other two gravely.   
  
"That's it."  
  
Not wanting to argue, as Jet was looking the most furious as they had ever seen him, Faye and Spike nodded their heads.   
  
"Faye get in there and do your-"  
  
Before Jet could finish his command, Spike went running to the two men and opened gunfire on them before they could as much cast a suspicious glance in his direction. They slumped to the ground as Spike, with Faye charging after him, ran inside to meet the small group of extra bodyguards in the tiny lobby, ordered by Rick, not wanting one to hear Gabby's cries.  
  
Spike and Faye took care of them in a similar fashion as to that of their comrades now dead outside. Jet ran in after them, staring at them intensely.  
  
"What was the point of making a plan if you're not going to follow it, Spike?"  
  
Spike flung his still lit cigarette onto the floor and watched it burn a small hole in the tile.  
  
"Didn't even think about it."  
  
Jet sighed.   
  
"All right, fine. They probably didn't hear us, your gun isn't very loud, and the only light I saw on was on the top floor, I think I know where it is. Faye, you get the ships here, we'll need to get out of here fast."  
  
"But-"  
  
Faye shut her mouth with a snap as she took one look at Jet's irate expression. As she left, Jet started to walk up the stairs.  
  
"Jet, why don't we just take the elevator?"  
  
"This way's better."  
  
Spike merely shrugged his shoulders and began the long climb up the stairs.  
  
  
A/N: Hello again, my faithful readers! Love you all!! Nothing much to say, except that if you didn't understand the Italian, figlia means daughter, fiori means flower, leone means lion, and gattino means kitten. Smooch smooch! See ya next time! :-) 


	15. You Are My Sunshine

Spike and Jet continued to jog up the stairs, sprinting at every landing. By the time they finally reached the top floor, They were both out of breath, but didn't even pause as Jet led the way to the only door in the gloomy corridor with a line of light under it. They could hear slaps and stifled cries, each growing softer and weaker with each slap.  
  
Spike and Jet looked at each other and stormed through the locked door with a crash.   
  
Spike went straight for Armand, dropping his guns and barreling into him, limbs flailing, intending to give him the beating he so rightfully deserved. What Spike didn't expect was for that Gabby's father to come hurtling at him with equal speed. Spike barely dodged some of his blows, and could feel bruises starting to form on his chest and face. Oh, that's IT! He thought furiously as he felt a small trickle of blood move its way down the left side of his face. He went at Armand with everything he had.  
  
A thought flashed through Jet's mind as he rushed into the adjacent room, where the noises had stopped. He stood in the doorway, breathing heavily as a thought hit him. Spike was angrier about the syndicates going down than he was about Gabby. Looking slowly around he saw Gabby, bound by her ankles and hands, which were behind her back, was gagged too. She was sitting against the far wall gazing tearfully at him. Her arms and legs were covered in bruises, welts and cuts, all of which looked extremely recent. Her skirt was now in tatters, and her blouse was completely ripped open, revealing a chest and abdomen that was in a similar state. One thing Jet noticed, though, was a large scar running from her right shoulder blade down across her breasts, which were thankfully still covered by her bra, down across her stomach, slanting downward under her skirt to her left hip. Gabby looked terrified and weak. That bastard, thought Jet as his eyes came to Ricky who was visibly cowering at the sight of him. Jet walked over to Rick.  
  
"So, you like to beat up helpless women, huh?"  
  
Rick merely stared at Jet's looming figure as he bent down to come face to face with Rick.  
  
"Well, why don't you try someone your own size?"  
  
Grunts and scuffled footsteps could be heard coming from the next room.  
  
"Go ahead. I dare you. Be a man."  
  
Ricky, now feeling remarkably feeble, punched Jet in his stomach, only to come out with a throbbing hand.  
  
"Not so easy when the other person can fight back, eh Ricky?"  
  
Jet swiftly let down a rain of pounding fists, Rick screaming in pain.  
  
"Please! Let me go! My father, my uncles, my family is very important!"  
  
Jet paused for a minute, as Rick sighed in relief, wincing at his wounds.  
  
"You've caused too much pain. You and all the syndicates have to die."  
  
Rick barely had time to look surprised as Jet killed him with one blow to the head from his cybernetic hand.  
  
He kicked the dead corpse and looked over to Gabby. Tears were streaming down her face, running into cuts on her cheeks as he saw her eyes roll up into her head and she collapsed to the floor, fainting. Jet rushed over to Gabby, untying her bonds and lifting her tenderly up in his arms. Spike appeared in the doorway, breathless, but had fewer bruises than he had expected to have. Without a word they walked through the door together, down the stairs and out to their ships which Faye had brought.  
  
None of them said anything as they sped back to the Bebop, including Ed. They were silent, just as before, but this time with a feeling of relief overtaking the previous worry.   
  
*********************************************************************************************************  
  
Gabby awoke on her bed, bandages carefully applied to all the parts of her body that were stinging or hurting. She noticed she was in fresh clothes, and wondered where her old ones had went. Turning her aching head she saw a figure sleeping in a chair next to her bed.  
  
Jet...she thought.  
  
Suddenly Faye came tiptoeing into the room. She met Gabby's eyes for a minute, than quietly ran over to the bed to give her a hug that nearly strangled Gabby.  
  
She finally let go of Gabby and looked at her, and Gabby could see Faye was trying her hardest not to cry.  
  
"Gabby," she whispered, "can you ever forgive me? I'm so sorry..."  
  
Gabby merely smiled.  
  
"Faye, it's okay! Don't worry! I'm safe now, and that's all that matters. Plus, it wasn't your fault, you couldn't have done anything even if you were right by my side. I'm just glad they didn't get you too."  
  
Faye bit her lip and stood up, looking at Jet's slightly snoring form.   
  
"Poor guy," she said, still whispering. "He put you straight to bed when we got home, bandaged you up and everything. He even dressed you! Oh! don't worry, I'm sure he was complete gentleman about it." Faye quickly cut in, seeing Gabby's reddening face.  
  
" You would have thought you were a porcelain doll they way he handled you. He wouldn't even let Spike or me come in lest we wake you up. He's been awake all yesterday and last night, just watching over you. He must be exhausted."  
  
Jet stirred in his sleep.  
  
"I'd better go."  
  
Faye walked out the door, and Gabby could hear her boots echoing down the hallway. Suddenly, Jet jerked up and jolted his head over to look at Gabby. He smiled as their eyes met.  
  
"Finally up, Sleeping Beauty?"  
  
Gabby smiled and reached out to Jet touching his knee.  
  
"Faye told me what you did. Thank you."  
  
Jet merely looked down, and Gabby swore she could see the slightest blush creeping across his cheeks.   
  
"Well, I, uh, it's nothing."  
  
Gabby stood up, ignoring the pains that tore across her skin at each wound. She looked Jet straight in the eye.  
  
"No, really Jet Thank You."  
  
She extended her hand and touched Jet's cheek, but to her astonishment, he recoiled from her fingertips. She frowned and let her hand drop down to her side.  
  
"Gabby-I-we, can't. I can't put you in that danger-"  
  
"What danger?" She was angry now. "Jet, you saved me! There is no more danger! You killed it, remember?"  
  
Jet simply looked up into her face.  
  
"Jet, I'm going to be honest with you. I would have rather have died in that building if it meant that you felt nothing at all for me."  
  
"Oh, it's not that, it's just-"  
  
"Just what Jet? You know", she paused, her eyes boring into his, "Faye told me that there is a person for everyone else out there. I'm not going to be your Julia."  
  
With that she walked past Jet and out the door.  
  
Damnit Jet! He thought furiously to himself. A look of realization washed over his face.  
  
He shot up from his chair and ran down the hall into the living area to find Spike and Faye on the couch watching the T.V. Gabby was standing in front of the door, on the verge of opening it. He raced up the stairs to where Gabby was and grasped a tight grip on her arm. He could see tears in her eyes.  
  
"Gabby...."  
  
Gabby looked deep into his eyes, and Spike and Faye twisted around in their seats to stare at the two. Even Edward was silent, holding tight onto Ein.  
  
"You are... you are... my sunshine."  
  
Tears fell down her cheeks as Jet took her chin in his hand and leaned down.  
  
Ah ha! So he does like me! She thought as their lips met, sending surges of ecstasy coursing through both their bodies.  
  
The End  
  
A/N: WAAAAHHH! Sniff. That's it. The end! I think I'm gonna cry. Okay, I'll stop. But I just wanted to say thank you a thousand times over to all of my reviewers, you know who you are!! Sniff. Okay, I'll be all right, just give me a minute. I'll miss you all sooo much!! SO anyway, what did you think of my VERY FIRST FANFIC!!?? Okey dokey, now I gotta write another one!! What should I write?? Sequel? Totally different concept? Different base? Should I even write another one? Should I dare to show my face at this site again?? Tell me what you think!! PLEASE!! PS: What is a beta reader?? Do I have to download it?? Do I need one??? AHHH! CAN'T CONTROL EMOTIONS!! *breaks down into tears* Ok, farewell, (for now)((maybe??)) PPS: OMG!! Freaky revelation!! My little brother (well, he's ten, three years younger than me, so he's not really persay 'little', but still. littler than me) was reading this chappie and he goes "Did you write this?" and I was like "well, DUH" and he's like, "how can you write this, it's too dark". I was like "Wha?" I'm serious peoples, my ten year old brother said this. Wait there's more. He goes,"you're too cheerful to write this crap" okay, I admit, I hit him on the head for saying 'crap', but I was thinking about it and Jeez, he's right. I think I take out my 'dark side' out in writing. Things are making a lot more sense now. All right. I just thought you guys and gals might like to know. I gotta ponder this some more. buh buy. 


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